The present invention relates to building wall systems and is more specifically directed to a wall system of the nonprogressive type featuring a clip and channel arrangement which provides a direct and positive locking attachment of the wallboard panels to the supporting studs.
Various types of wallboard retaining clips and metal channel studs are utilized in building construction to erect so called "modular" wall systems which can be quickly assembled and disassembled without the use of screws, bolts, nails or the like. It is desirable in the design of such systems to be able to easily remove individual wallboard panels from an assembled wall system for repair or replacement. Also, it is frequently desirable to reposition an entire wall. Typical prior art systems which have been developed for this purpose are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,764 issued to Downing and U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,660 issued to Byssing.
Prior art wall mounting systems of the type described above typically utilize a number of metal retaining clips which are pressed into the opposite edges of the wallboard panel and snap over the flange portion of a vertically extending channel shaped metal stud. This frictional engagement subjects the wall system to undesirable vibration under dynamic loading. Also, the design of the various types of clips and studs which are available typically require that a panel be mounted between a pair of studs by simultaneous attachment of the clips on both ends of the wallboard to the corresponding stud flanges. Such designs require a rigid horizontal support member extending between the studs to maintain their relative position until the wallboard is attached. This presents problems in terms of the phenomenon of "growing" where, because of manufacturing tolerances in the size of the wallboard, the width of a particular panel may be slightly less than or slightly more than the distance between adjacent mounting flanges as determined by the horizontal support member.